Cardinals pick up 2-year option on Wainwright

The St. Louis Cardinals have picked up a two-year, $21 million US contract option on injured pitcher Adam Wainwright, helping set their rotation for next year.

Wainwright, a 20-game winner in 2010, is rehabbing from elbow surgery in February that sidelined him for the entire season. He threw his final bullpen session before St. Louis played Texas in Game 6 of the World Series on Thursday.

The Cardinals previously picked up the option on Chris Carpenter's contract. Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook are signed for 2012.

General manager John Mozeliak said the move has been a formality for months. The Cardinals expect Wainwright will be ready for spring training with no restrictions.

"Obviously we just wanted to be smart and make sure his rehab was going well," Mozeliak said. "But we never had any doubts we'd be picking up the option."

Wainwright was 20-11 with a 2.42 earned-run average last year, made his first all-star team and finished second behind Philadelphia's Roy Halladay in the Cy Young Award balloting. The right-hander led the NL with 19 wins and 233 innings in 2009 and won a Gold Glove, finishing third in Cy Young voting.